Tag Archives: Cheryl Francisco

Over the weekend one of my BFFs came over to Hong Kong for a visit. I left the planning to her, and to my surprise she wanted to visit Lantau Island, a place I had always vowed to go but never did.

Lantau is a Cantonese word that means “broken head”, but Chinese call Hong Kong’s largest island Tai Yue San (Big Island Mountain), a name that refers both to its size and elevation.

(Actually, “Lantau” also means something else in Cantonese, but I am too much of a good boy to explain it here, hehe.)

Our original plan was to visit the island at noon, but due to some mishap (a distressing combination of failed telco connection, excessive shopping, late sleep in and general miscommunication), we spent hours trying to get our troop together, during which Cheryl was evidently getting more and more anxious by the minute.

Nevertheless yours truly managed to elicit a smile from her for the camera, even while she was frantically trying to reach out to her travelmates at the end point of the MTR line, at the Tung Chung station. This is the point where we were to board the cable car up to the peak of Lantau Island.

The 5.7 km Ngong Ping 360 is a cable car system linking Ngong Ping with the centre of Tung Chung, where the MTR station is located at. The two of us bought the most expensive package, which include a return trip in a crystal cabin and entry to some shoes at Ngong Ping.

So, what is a crystal cabin?

You got it right – it’s a glass-bottomed cabin! Those close to me will know I am terrified by heights, so it was a downright reckless decision for me to even consider boarding this cabin. But board I did, and to be honest, the ride up wasn’t as terrifying as the ride down. The floor cabin felt fake somehow, like a large LCD display.

The scenery on the way up was amazing. We saw the famous Lantau Trail, which takes hours to hike from the Ngong Ping plateau to the peak of Ngong Ping Village. Every now and then we also saw some lone tombs (perhaps of famous people) which were reasonably well kept. They made me wonder, how on earth the relatives of the deceased come to visit every year? There was no visible trail, no flat ground for helipad of any sort… that remains a mystery to us.

Finally we reached the upper cable car station is the 1.5-hectare Ngong Ping Village, just west of the Po Lin Monastery complex (under renovation during our visit) and includes several themed attractions; Walking with Buddha and the Monkey’s Tale Theatre. These were included in our package but due to the short time we had for the trip, we couldn’t make it for either shows.

To be honest, I found that Ngong Ping Village is a perplexing mix of Chinese architecture with Western modernity. Although the buildings were definitely oriental, the shops are not. You get to see some Western cafe, popcorn stall, even a Starbucks. Which kind of a bummer for those looking for an authentic Chinese experience, especially with the gigantic Buddha statue nearby.

On the hill above the monastery sits the Tian Tan Buddha, a seated representation of Lord Gautama some 23 m high (or 26.4m with the lotus or just under 34 m if you include the podium). There are bigger Buddha status elsewhere, but apparently these are not seated, outdoors or made of bronze.

It weighs 202 tonnes, by the way. The large bell within the Buddha (in which you are not allowed to take photos) is controlled by computer and rings 108 times during the day to symbolise escape from what Buddhism terms the ‘108 troubles of mankind’.

The podium is composed of separate chambers on three different levels. In the first level are the six statues of Bodhisattvas, each of which weights around two tonnes.

On the second level is a small museum containing oil paintings and ceramic plaques of the Buddha’s life and teachings. No photography is allowed at the museum. Entry is free if you eat at the monastery’s vegetarian restaurant, Po Lin Vegetarian Restaurant. However, you can also opt for a cheaper ticket which allows you some vegetarian snacks (redeemable at the monastery at the foot of the hill), or exchange it for a bottle of water and an ice cream of your choice.

Cheryl and I opted for the later, of course. The weather was scorching hot, and the climb was decidedly arduous. However, it’s well worth climbing the 260 steps for a closer look at the statue and surrounding views, which was breathtaking for city dwellers like us.

After such an exhausting hike, Cheryl and I made our way down the hill and made a beeline to Ngong Ping Tea House for some authentic tea cultural experience, of which we were not disappointed.

That marks the end of our excursion to Lantau. How much did I spend? Well, we spent about HKD290 for the cable car package, about HKD50 for entry to the Tian Tan Buddha exhibition hall, and another HKD100 for the experience at tea house.

A bit steep, you say? Well, here’s a recommendation for you:

The budget cabin! Just make sure you remain perfectly stationary during the 25 minutes ride, failing which the fall will not make a pleasant experience…

… I am joking of course. The said “cabin” is probably for some maintenance work, but it cracked us up nonetheless.

Click here for the full set of photos of Cheryl’s trip to Hong Kong. Hope you had a blast, girl… and thanks for listening to my endless problems. I told you, your turn will come! Hehe.

Those of you who follow my blog will know that I am an avid traveler. I had always wanted to go to a backpackers’ place in Singapore, hang out with tourists and then, just for a day or two, go around Singapore like a tourist would. I was crazy enough to actually buy a Lonely Planet for Singapore.

And so, as a farewell gift, Cheryl planned one full day of Singapore tour for me with Shafik. I reserved the entire weekend for these best buddies of mine, and I had absolutely no idea where they will be bringing me to.

The day started bright and early… at 10 a.m. LOL. I was out the night before with my SMC gang and didn’t get home until early morning… but eh, I was not the only one who woke up late hor! And so we were off to our first destination…

The Esplanade Park! Cheryl wanted to start off the day with a picnic right at the park. This was the first time I was there. I mean, the sights were familiar all around – the Esplanade, the Cavenagh bridge, the CBD skyline etc. – but what I didn’t realise was a whole carefully tended park in the midst of town.

And only in Singapore can you find a “designated exercise area”. In a park. Makes you wonder what the rest of the park is “designated” for.

Cheryl has outdone herself with sumptuous spread for the picnic. Spaghetti, hot dogs, chicken wings, egg salad (for me!), muffins… we were starving by the time we settled down for the picnic, and Shafik chosen a spot of carpet grass right in front of the Asian Civilisation Museum.

Someone is obviously very happy that we have settled down to feed… but remember the food was catered for Ma’at, not Rashid!

Our next stop was the Asian Civilization Museum. I know Singapore has got quite a number of museums, and ASM has got to be one of the more famous ones. The museum didn’t disappoint with a mind-bogging array of artefacts from different Asian cultures. If not for the fact that the toilets were so few in between and they are forever occupied, the trip to ASM would have been perfect. As usual, Cher was up to her tricks with my camera when she pretended to take photos of me playing with some Chinese costumes and banging on some Malay drums, when she was actually video-ing me instead!

After the museum, we made a small detour to the Victoria Memorial Hall to see the Stamford Raffles statue. The place held special memories for me; during my university days, every year the NTU Symphonic Band will hold their concerts here at this concert hall. It was here where I played out months of hard work at endless rehearsals playing win band pieces I had never dreamed of playing when I was in Malaysia. Nostalgic indeed.

The next destination caught me by utter surprise. Never in my wildest dream would I think the duo will bring me to the Singapore Flyer! The entire ride was a surreal experience. I was totally transfixed to the sights of Singapore as we made one round the giant observation wheel in 30 minutes. The audio guide pointed out places after places as viewed from high above – Chinatown, Little India, Marina Bay, Suntec City… I was constantly reminded of the memories I sowed at these places, and I couldn’t help but to tear at the thought that I am leaving all these behind. It is harder than you think.

After a lunch of curry chicken rice at the flyer (there goes my diet), we headed to somewhere at the other end of Singapore; the Changi Prison Museum & Chapel. The prison was enshrined in Singapore history as the place where countless POW (prisoners of war) were enslaved, perished and survived during the horrifying Japanese occupation years. In one afternoon I learned more about Singapore’s history than all my ten years combined. Those who said Singapore “has no character” obviously didn’t bother to learn about the tumultous past of this tiny island. It is all here on the walls – literally. The Changi Mural was a collection of five wall paintings drawn during those years, bringing much spiritual relief to the POWs.

This place also held special memory for me – for being the ultimate fool walking around with three ASM stickers on my back the entire time. And Cheryl had the cheek to take this photo first before telling me through her laughing tears. Thanks, hor. Grrrr….

Did I mention that my diet totally went bust this weekend? After the prison museum, we went to sample the famous Changi Village Ayam Penyet. The dish was delicious, and I was famished. All these walking really did it for me, despite the fact that I just had one whole bowl of curry chicken merely two hours before. And, yes, the ayam penyet was as good as it looks in this photo.

In all my years in Singapore, I have been to the zoo and the butterfly farm and the bird park, but never the safari… Cheryl made my dream come true by bringing me to the Singapore Night Safari. We reached the place after a long, long bus ride. Although we were irked by some factors here (which I shall not mention in case people think I am racist!), we enjoyed our time here thoroughly. We took the 45 minutes tram ride which took us round the entire safari. The animals were definitely much more active during the night time, and at times we were so close to them that we could touch their body!

The highlight of the trip was definitely the Creatures of the Night show. The animals were fantastic, but the hostess was the one who brought the house down. Her impeccable sense of humour had us in stitches with laughter. She was almost as good as Kumar, and we really enjoyed the 30 minute show. I think she should go pro as an emcee!

And something else which shock the fuck out of me (pardon the language). Shafik and Cheryl have been to the night safari before, so they know exactly what will happen during the show. We were seated two rows from the front, much to Shafik’s insistence. What I didn’t know was that there was a fucking snake right under my seat!!! I have an ultra fear for all things slithering and slimy and hissing, so imagine my shock when they unlocked the panel under my seat to reveal this big ass python.

I swear, I wanted to wring their necks for scaring me like that. Unforgettable, indeed!

After such a long, eventful day, we went back to my home, where I took a long long shower to wash away the fear of the almighty python. Little did I know there was one last surprise for the night – my very much advanced 30th birthday cake. You see, by the time I return to Singapore for my 30th birthday celebration end of June, Shafik would be crawling around Tekong with his shaved head, so this is the only time we could celebrate my birthday together.

Look at the volcano of flames on my cake. The heat almost melted the cake into half! You don’t have to light up thirty candles just to tell people how old I am. Didn’t you guys know a man’s prime start at 30? Tsk. But I was touched. Pardon the bad singing in the video. For the first time it wasn’t my fault. LOL.

After an episode of Friends (like we did on many different nights before), we went to sleep. I was so deep in slumber that I didn’t realise Cheryl woke up (rather) early the next day to prepare this delicious laksa for lunch. It was simply delicious. Girl, if I gain a pound over the weekend, I hold you entirely responsible. Your laksa was wicked.

And so that marks the end of my weekend with Cheryl and Shafik, one that was perfect in every imaginable way, in the way I thought it would be, and more. Thank you so much, guys, for making this possible. To Cheryl for her immaculate planning and thoughts that went into all the surprises (the flyer! the snake! the cake!) and for Shafik for being with us that weekend.

A mere week after I am back from Seoul, I am done with all the blog posts! My trip was blessed with many nice photos, especially so since we arrived during the week cherry blossom (purely coincidental, something which cannot be planned for). Here are the posts!

Enroute to Seoul, 14th April
A little on pre-trip preparation, and our little get together at Changi Airport and KLIA with my two travel buddies, Shafik & Cheryl

Day 1, 15th April
Arrival at Incheon International Airport, checking into the frill-free Beewon Guesthouse at Gwanghwamum area. Our first palace experience at Jongmyo, which was shrouded with cold weather due to the incessant rain (though, truth to be told, we liked it), and our first Seoulite nightlife at the famous Itaewon clubbing district.

Day 2, 16th April
Second day dawned rather early for us, and we headed to Gyeongbokgung (Palace of Shining Happiness) which was a must-see spot in Seoul. Then we headed for a rather disappointing shopping excursion to Namdaemun Market, before scaling up (via cable car) to Namsan Summit to visit the N Seoul Tower and the attached teddy bear museum. At my insistence, we also visited Myeong-Dong Catholic Cathedral where I had a DaVinci moment. The night ended with some trawling along the streets of Hongik University District

Day 3, 17th April
First road trip out of Seoul to Haenggung and at the World Heritage Site Hwaseong (Suwon Fortress), both located within Suwon City. It was a long but very interesting trip out especially so for the food, namely beef rib soup! Concluded the night at Itaewon again right to the dawn.

Day 4, 18th April
A rather slow day for us, as we all woke up really late. Visit the magnificent Seoul Zoo at Seoul Grand Park, where we spent many happy hours making funny faces at animals and buying useless toys (that’s me). Ended the night, albeit mistakenly, at Seoul Plaza, before heading back to Beewon for an early night. We were totally beat!

Day 5, 19th April
The rest the night before was a blessing, as we made our way to visit the Seodaemun Prison, a historically important site for Korea during the Japanese occupation year. We also brought out the sporty side of us as we sillied ourselves to the max Seoul World Cup Stadium, impromptu picnic included. The night ended with a peaceful and relaxing Hangang River Ferry Cruise, easily the best part of my trip.

All in all, a very satisfying trip though, truth to be told, Seoul is not one of the cities that I will visit again unlike London, Phuket or Santorini. I think I could do another post on a list of things I learned from my Korea trip… but first thing first. Here’s the link to view the blog posts under “The Seoul of Korea” series, and here’s the link for my Flickr collection on all photos taken during this trip.

Rest from the night before was a blessing to all of us. We were well rested and able to take on Seoul for the fifth day! This also marked my last full day in Seoul, and I intend to make the best out of it by setting out to see some of the more out-of-way attraction spots in this city.

We had an early start for the day; I remembered because we found a Dunkin Donuts outlet in Insadong and had a good breakfast there! These four doughnuts, plus the drink, were not mine. They were Shafik’s, and Shafik’s alone. He devoured this under 15 minutes and ordered another drink. One has to wonder if his stomach is indeed bottomless? And, yes, I know Seoul and Dunkin Donuts do not exactly go together. But we were hungry, and I needed a sugar fix. So we didn’t really care.

Our destination was a mere three metro stations away from Jongno-san (3) Ga. Upon alighting from the train, I realised that we had the entire station to ourselves, and instantly we know that this got to be the most historically rich station off all. The walls were adorned with marble plaques with Korean writing on them. Cheryl was able to read some… and told me they were names. Hundreds of them. It dawned on me, then, they must be the names of Korean heroes from the place we were about to visit.

The Seodaemun Prison was a stark reminder of the sufferings of Korean independence fighters who challenged Japanese colonial rule (1910-45). It contains an entrance gate, two watchtowers, a wooden execution house, interrogation cells and eight of the original 18 red-brick prison buildings. Built to house 500 prisoners, up to 3000 were packed inside during the height of the anti-Japanese protests in 1919.

Altogether 40,000 freedom fighters passed through the entrance gate and at least 400 died or were killed inside, including Ryu Gwan-sun, an Ewha high-school student who was tortured to death in 1920. Overcrowding, lack of food, beatings and torture were daily facts of life, and the interrogation cells give a vivid and nightmarish demonstration of what went on there.

The independence fighters were brave but too few to threaten the Japanâ€™s brutal rule, which attempted cultural genocide â€“ banning the Korean language and forcing Koreans to adopt Japanese names (12% refused).

The prison, now serving as one of the most important historical landmark of South Korea, was tastefully designed to educate the visitors on the hardship these warriors had to go through during the Japanese rule. The secret tunnel where corpses were ferried out of the prison, the execution chamber, vivid replay of prisoners’ torture (nail prickling, torture box, electric shocks, just to name a few), the house of leper, the actual prison building, the cramped cell… it was a harrowing morning for all of us. Cheryl, Shafik and I left the prison compound in a sombre mood and a newly-gained respect to the steadfastness of Korean patriotic spirit.

Now on to less-sombering stuff! When I saw descriptions on the World Cup Stadium in the Lonely Planet guidebook, I knew I had to pay a visit. No, I am no soccer fan (you’ll know why in a sec), but architecture of stadiums always fascinates me. The grandeur, the scale, the vastness… yes, I like it big. LOL.

Costing US$151 million, the spectacular 64,000-seat World Cup Stadium was built to stage the opening ceremony and some of the matches of the 2002 World Cup soccer finals, which Korea cohosted with Japan. Under the stadium is CGV, lots of small shops, a giant hypermarket and household goods. Around the stadium are large parks that have been cleverly reclaimed from landfill sites and returned to natural states.

We also took a great many photos of here, many were beautiful because of the majestic stadium. There was also a soccer stadium attached, depicting the colourful history of soccer mania in Korea (look at the soccer players!) and visiting football teams. It was also here where I discovered that my digicam has a wide landscape function. I know, I am such a total klutz! To thin that I have been using the camera for almost two years now.

We had plenty of time left before our plan for the evening, so we decided, impulsively, to have a picnic right here! The weather was lovely, we saw some green parks around the stadium, and there was a hypermart in the mall where we can get some food.

And so we did. Granted, we could have chosen a better spot than a non-grassy plain next to the helipad (yes, there was one right outside the stadium). We had a great time trying NOT to get sand into our food, as well as to play with them. Like how fling a peanut is really a lost art form, and why certain things are not safe for work (NSFW).

Our next plan was to take on the Hangang River Ferry Cruise. However, time flew by faster than we expect, and by the time we were ready to leave the stadium, it was already past 6 p.m., and the ferry was to depart at 7.30 p.m.! So it was a mad, mad rush for all of us from the stadium to Yeouido pier. Like, Amazing Race style (see above).

We made it to the ferry in the nick of time, but not before all of us were breathless from the run (yes, we ran from the metro station to the ferry), all sweaty and bothered. Okay, that sounded sexy, but actually it wasn’t. Less than five minutes after we came onboard, the ferry started to sail away from the pier. Phew!

The river ferry cruise took us back and forth across different sections of Seoul, including Yeuido, Yanghwa, Ttsukseom and Jamsil. There was a live performance onboard (attracted mainly middle age aunties), but we were more interested staying at the deck of the ship to take in the sight. Night has fallen and everything was dark, so it was difficult to make out what is what. But we had a better time relaxing facing the night wind (chilling as it was), just talking and be with each other without a mad rush to another point. It was calming and relaxing… and as strange as this may sound, I found this to be the highlight of my trip.

Upon alighting from the Hangang River Ferry Cruise, I decided once and for all to try the Korean roadside delicacy which I have seen everywhere I go – a big pot of steaming hot larvae. The smell was kinda nauseating, but not bad enough for the adventurous side of me not to take a little dip into the (literally) unknown.

It wasn’t that bad, actually. Tasted like chicken. Though I finish only 1/3 of the cup. LOL. This is a video of me taking my first bite, and here’s the second part. I even managed to convince Cheryl to try out (her being a Korean princess and all), but the single piece of larva she tasted proven to be too much for her.

Soon we were back in Insadong for my last dinner. We trawled the streets of Insadong at night, which was totally different from the day as the sleazy part of this culture-rich district came out to play. We found a satisfying cafe at which I bought everyone dinner. It was a good one – Korean food for me, lots of meat for Shafik, and non-veg for Cheryl.

A befitting end to an adventurous day, and to my last day in Seoul. Click here for the full set of photos for today.

After a thoroughly rowdy evening the night before, understandably we slept in late, drillers notwithstanding. By the time we woke up and got ready for the day ahead, our collective heads were still pounding and it was wayyyy past lunch time even. So after a quick lunch (or bulgogi beef, which was satisfactory) near Beewon, we headed to a very unlikely tourist destination.

THE ZOO!!! Of all things we decided to do, we decided to see animals on two, four or more legs. Actually it was stemmed from none other than Shafik. Everytime I asked him where he felt like going (since I am the type who don’t plan my holiday itinerary beforehand), he will say “I want to see animals”. So the Seoul Zoo, it was!

The Seoul Zoo is located at Seoul Grand Park, a park complex to the south of Seoul, in the city of Gwacheon. Alighting at the Grand Park metro station, the walk towards the entrance was like walking in Hong Kong Disneyland. The main path was packed with hawkers selling similar food stuff and tourist trinkets. It’s just that they are not touty in any way, which was a blessing after my experience in Istanbul. From the big glass building, we have three options to get up the hill towards the entrance of the zoo – a tram, a skylift, or a 15-mins walk.

And we took the skylift. It was perfect madness. Me, the guy with a severe phobia of height, was going to sit on a chair with no foot rest and get dangled metres above water and ground. I remember nothing much of the ride up, which took an unbelievably long time, as I had my eyes closed most of the time. To go over the hills was not that bad, but it was over open water (there was a large lake) that scared the beejesus out of me!

Soon we was in the zoo! I have to say, for a mere W3,000 (that’s less than 4 bucks), you get to experience a huge and beautiful zoo in all its glory. The excellent and extensive zoo (Seoulâ€™s best) is set among forested hillsides and families picnic along the shady banks of a stream that runs through the park. You can hike along a number of marked trails that stretch 2km to 6km. The zoo is home to a long list of exotic creatures, including the African ones.

The best way to enjoy the zoo was to take a second skylift up to the topmost of the zoo, and then walk our way down slowly towards the exit, enjoying the animals along the way. We took a great many photos throughout the trip. Here are some of the best ones:

My stay at the zoo also showed me something about Korean parents. There were a million children at the zoo, considering that it was a Saturday and all. But instead of hordes of screaming and crying children generally becoming a nuisance to everyone else… the Korean kids were an obedient bunch. No, they are still mischievous and curious about everything. The parents, instead of “tying a verbal leash” on their offspring to control their behavior by scolding and instructing and commanding, they… talked. They talked to their children, played with them, laughed, had fun.

Of course, Cheryl was the one who pointed this out to me. From that point onwards I start to realise that this was indeed true. The Korean parents are really different from the typical Asian parents I saw before. Is it little wonder why the Koreans are such a progressive society? The younger generation need not to be policed, and the adults created an environment of encouragement, supportive and stimulating.

And with that, I brought out the child in me and bought a blue dolphin helium balloon. LOL. It floated alongside me as I walked around the zoo. Sometimes my blue dolphin will see its siblings (fellow blue dolphins) and relatives (pink dolphins)… and I will grin at the startled owners, the kids. Hahaha. It was really fun, at least for me, though Cheryl and Shafik though I was out of my mind.

We left the zoo in the late afternoon, and by the time we hit back to the city, it was well past 7 p.m. Headed to the Seoul train station so that Cheryl and Shafik get buy their express train tickets to Busan. The plan was that they will leave Seoul for Busan the same morning I return to Singapore. I stayed in Seoul for about 6 days, and they were to extend their stay for another 5 days.

Right after that we headed to Seoul Plaza, planning to do some shopping. Seoul Plaza is a central plaza located in front of Seoul City Hall at Taepyeongno, Jung-gu with the purpose to provide the public an open space. I must have mistaken, for Seoul Plaza is not a shopping place. More like a venue for concerts and stuff. There was one in progress, apparently for the disabled people in Seoul.

We went back to Beewon for the night at the early hour of 9 p.m.! Which was a good thing, actually. We rested, talked and generally let our tired body recover from the past few hectic days.

Click here to see photos taken during my fourth day in Seoul, mostly of animals in the zoo. We don’t look very photogenic that day!

Third day in Seoul already! This was the start of the remaining 60% of my trip (I always think of my trips in percentages that way), and we started off early because of the out-of-Seoul day trip we were about to embark off.

But of course, first thing first. We went off in hunt for a suitable food place, and at that hour in the morning (about 9 a.m.), we were disappointed to find most of the places around Beewon were closed. But after some venture into the other side of Insadong, we hit jackpot! Had this most authentic brunch at this little Korean couple-run eatery, where I had this amazing ginseng soup and spring chicken stuffed with glutinous rice. How… riveting.

After the brunch, we made our way to the subway for the one-hour ride to Suwon, our destination of the day. It was so far out from Seoul that the train map in Lonely Planet did not even show Suwon station. It went right off the page! With the addition of a couple of stations along the subway line we were on, for a few moments we panicked that we were on the wrong train. But my gut instinct preserved and soon we alighted at Suwon, found the tourist information office, and off we went to Suwon City on a cab!

The cab driver dropped us at Haenggung, a “temporary palace” built by King Jeongjo, who stayed here on his visits to his fatherâ€™s grave, which is nearby. His father met a tragic fate, the victim of courtâ€™s intrigues, he was suffocated in a rice chest. Courtyard follows courtyard as you walk around the large wall complex.

One hall depicts the 60th birthday party of King Jeongjoâ€™s mother, while another hall features Daejanggeum, a female Joseon dynasty cook who rose from humble beginnings to a high position in the royal court. The TV drama about her has been a huge hit throughout Asia, and was partly filmed here (you know, Da Chang Jin in Singapore?). Military uniforms and weapons are on display and you can make a wish and tie to the oldest tree in Suwon. Other activities take place, mainly at the weekend.

We took a great many photos here, but truth to be told… once you have seen one Korean palace, you have seen it all. The palaces all started to look the same to me, except for the differences in its history. So after spending about an hour here taking in the sights (including a uniformed male guard who was flirting with a female visitor!), we made our way uphill to begin our proper tour around the Suwon Fortress, also known as Hwaseong in Korean.

This World Heritage fortress is in Suwon, which is home to a million residents. The majestic fortress wall snakes 5.7 km around the city center, and 95% has been faithfully restored. It was originally constructed between 1794 and 1796, during the reign of King Jeongjo, a much loved monarch due to his filial piety, and concern for ordinary people. The fortress wall is made of earth and faced with large stone blocks, while additional features are built of grey bricks.

Hiking all the way around the walls takes two hours and include views of the city, large entrance gates, small secret gates, sentry towers, bastions, command posts, a giant bell, and archery field, and the signal beacon platform used for sending messages in an age before mobile phones.

To “speed up” our tour around the entire fortress wall, the three of us took the trolley ride from on top of a hill. The tram will snake around at least half of the walls which surrounded the city. We were at the last seat, thinking that our view will be awesome since there were no seats in front of us… only to discover that a non-English speaker attendant will perch himself right in front of us Cheryl throughout the trip.

We were unbelievably quick to take nice photos even as the tram was moving. The sights around Suwon Fortress was truly beautiful. It was hard not to be envious of Suwon residents to be living within this very ancient walls. The people of Suwon were out in full force to appreciate the grandeur of their city and the awesome cherry blossom season.

And of course, we didn’t lose out and did a very funny video during the tram ride. Watch out for how Cheryl describe her “uncle’s residential palace” while Shafik did an impromptu dance. Yes, really, he did that! And here’s another video on what we saw during the ride.

At the end of the tram ride, we found ourselves in front of an archery field (which I wanted to try but got distracted by souvenir shopping) and a Korean restaurant called Yenpo Galbi. This famous log cabin restaurant serves us galbi including a special Suwon version of galbitang â€“ chunks of meat and a big rib in a seasoned broth with noodles and leeks.

It was also here where I made my first acquaintance with Seju, a local alcohol packed in smallish bottle, which tasted like vodka. At only W3,000 each, it was a bargain and a sure fire way to, you know, drunkard heaven. LOL. One tip – mix this with ice cubes and orange juice, and you can’t tell the difference between that and those expensive jugs you always get in Singapore clubs.

The officers of UNESCO would probably have a heart attack if they see the kind of atrocities we were up to along this world heritage site. To this day I am still amazed on how close you could come up to these ancient monuments of Korea. In Europe, such sites would probably be cordoned off with thick ropes and manned with guards – you can only admire them from afar. In Seoul, however, you can literally climb onto one, have a sword-vs-scarf fight, and take a video without anyone shouting abuse at you. Of course, we didn’t spoil anything!

At the exit of Suwon Fortress, there was a fresh produce market (if I am not mistaken, it was called Jieju Market). You shoud see the amount of seafood and exotic items on sale – including mountains of ginseng on display in baskets and trays, as if they are mere vegetables. In Singapore, such ginseng would probably be boxed up and locked away in shops.

By the time we were back in Insadong, it was already pass 7 p.m. and we were famished. Managed to find this BBQ place run by a Mandarin-speaking owner (what are the chances?) and we had the most satisfying BBQ meal ever.

Right after dinner, we went back to Beewon, slept for two hours, before dolled ourselves up for another night out at Itaewon (Hongik was just a little to tame for us, hehe). And wild it was! I can’t even remember what time we came back to our room… probably in the dawn or something.

Click here for the full set of photos taken during the third day of my holiday in Seoul. Plenty of nice photos, including some awesome Sakura in Suwon!

After our rowdy night the day before, what with all the hotel-toilet-crashing and bashing-into-lamp-posts (plural), we were all understandably shagged to the max. Tried to sleep in late, but the workers upstairs turned up for work right on time, and at 8 a.m. sharp the drilling, knocking and smashing began. It was impossible to sleep, hence I roused Shafik and Cheryl so that we can begin our day early.

Our first destination of the day was within walking distance from Beewon, right smack in between Jongno-san (3) Ga station and Anguk station. The early morning walk was really refreshing, and soon we found the palace… but first thing first – we need to feed our stomach!

The Lime Tree Cafe & Deli was a quaint, atmospheric eatery serving your typical Western food fare. The food was nice, but what really attracted us was the internal deco. The owner really put in a lot of thoughts into setting up a place like that. When I have my own book cafe, I would want it to be like that!

Right after breakfast, we went over to Gyeongbokgung, the must-see tourist destination in Seoul. And rightly so – we were sharing the entire palace with an unbelievable number of shrieking children, apparently on school trips there. There were also hundreds of men in uniform – the Royal Naval Academy of Thailand was out in full force as well. Understandbly, Gyeongbokgung was packed to the max.

Why so? The Palace of Shining Happiness was originally built by King Tajeo, the founder of the Joseon dynasty, and is the grandest of Seoul palaces served as the principal palace until 1592, when it was burnt down during the Japanese invasions. It lay in ruins for nearly 300 years until Heungseon Daewongun, regent and father of King Gojong, started to rebuild it in 1865. King Gojong moved in during 1868, but the expensive rebuilding project nearly bankrupted the government.

Two of the grandest architectural sights in Seoul are here. The first is the two-storey, ornate Geunjeongjeon, the main palace buildings where kings were crowned, met foreign envoys and conducted affairs of state. It is best viewed from the imposing second entrance gate, Heungnyemun, which is guarded by soldiers in Joseon uniform With its double-tiered stone platform, flagstone courtyard and surrounding open-sided corridors, Geunjeongjeon is an impressive sight.

To the left is Gyeonghoeru, a large raised pavilion resting on 48 stone pillars and overlooking an artificial lake with two small islands, which is almost as grand a scene. State banquets were held inside.

Just as we arrived at the palace, the changing of guard ceremony kicked off! We were lucky to be able to catch the colourful ceremony, complete with traditional Korean music, march past of guards in colourful costumes, flag bearers, ancient weapons… you get the drift. Here’s a video of the event.

One of the best thing about this palace was that they allow you to don a set of traditional Korean costume and take photos… for free! They even have assistants whom will help you to wear the costume correctly! The only catch was that, you must wear the whole set and not just parts of it. I reckon it was out of respects for the Korean culture.

The costume was huge and “flowy”, and being the klutz I was, I managed to trip myself at least half a dozen time walking around the palace to take photos. Shafik and Cheryl were game enough to wait for me to try this out, and to take photos for me. Thanks, guys! :)

A word about the Cherry Blossom Season in Korea. During the season, sakura flowers across Korea and Japan will bloom in unison. A riot of colour of colours engulf the cities, including Seoul, providing excellent photography opportunities. The whole season lasts a little more than a week every year, usually during early April. When I booked for the trip, I have never heard of this, and it was by pure coincident that the three of us visited Seoul during the peak of the bloom, so to speak. We took plenty of photos of blooming Sakura everywhere we went!

After an exhausting morning at the palace, we took a cab to the Namdaemun Market, which was located at the Myeung-dong district. This huge night-and-day market dates back to the 15th century and has thousands of shops and stalls selling food, ginseng, dried seaweed, clothes, shoes, hiking gear, watches, handicrafts, spectacles and contact lenses. Food stalls offer cheap meals for the adventurous, including octopus and tteokbokki (pressed rice cakes and veggies in a spicy sauce).

Despite what the Lonely Planet said about this market, to me, Namdaemun Market was nothing more than a cleaner, more organised version of Chatuchak (the famous market in Bangkok), with only half the fun shopping at the latter. We bought little more than some snack, which wasn’t that great to begin with. We also had our lunch here – mildly satisfactory. It was over lunch that I decided that, yes, I do not and could not like kimchi!

From the market, we navigated our way to the Namsan Summit, where the N Seoul Tower was located at. It was within walking distance, but not exactly very near to walk. As usual, we amused ourselves with silly antics throughout the way.

N Seoul Tower is a communication tower located in Seoul, South Korea. Built in 1969, and opened to the public in 1980, the tower measures 236.7 m (777 ft) in height (from the base) and tops out at 479.7 m (1,574 ft) above sea level. It has also been known as the Namsan Tower or Seoul Tower. After the tower’s original owner merged with the CJ Corporation, it was renamed the N Seoul Tower (official name CJ Seoul Tower).

Most visitors ride the Namsan cable car up the mountain, and then walk to the tower. I don’t know about you, but I have a phobia of height. So riding on the cable car across valleys (albeit beautiful, with all the blooming flowers) was a terrifying experience. Thank goodness it was a quick ride!

The tower features a gift shop and restaurants on the ground floor. Visitors may go up the tower for a fee. There are four observation decks (the 4th observation deck, which is the revolving restaurant, rotates at a rate of one revolution every 48 minutes), as well as gift shops and two restaurants. Most of the city of Seoul can be seen from the top.

But did you know the main attraction of this spot was a teddy bear museum? Apparently this is a spin-off from the original one at Jeju Island. But the three of us sure had a whale of time shopping at the museum shop (at which I spent most of my shopping budget) and of course the museum itself. Took a great many photos at the museum, which featured bears in various scenes throughout the history of Korea. I even made a Vlog featuring (Princess) Cheryl telling us how bears were the ones who built her *cough* castle *cough*.

By the end of our little adventure here, I was absolutely beat, and I can tell that Shafik and Cheryl were utterly exhausted too. But I was hell bent on visiting a Seoul cathedral. To me, to visit a place of Jesus-worship in a predominantly Buddhist country was truly a novelty. And there happen to be one nearby where we were.

On the way to the said cathedral, we passed by the night market of Myeong-dong. Actually, Myeong-dong is a compact, traffic-quiet zone packed with fashion stores that attract mainly young shoppers. From here you can find many shops you could typically see in Singapore, but it was the fashionable crowd which caught my attention. I was not sure if this was the Orchard Road of Seoul, but it sure felt like it.

And so on to the cathedral. The Myeong-Dong Catholic Cathedral is an elegant brick Renaissance-style Cathedral was constructed between 1894 and 1898 by Chinese bricklayers. Inside, the traditional vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows contrast with the modern air-conditioning and the TV screens that help worshipers at the back see what is going on. The cathedral provided a sanctuary for student and trade-union protesters during the long period of military rule after the Korean War, and is a national symbol of democracy and human rights.

During our visit, a mass was in session, presided over by a nun. According to Cheryl, it was amazing that a weekday evening mass like this was so well attended, unlike in Singapore. I felt very disrespectful to take photos while the mass was in progress, so after a few quick snaps, I stopped. Partly because the droning voice of the nun (can a female lead a mass?) was mystical if not a bit eerie, and partly also because I saw some very interesting features in this church.

If you, like me, are a fan of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, you will know why I find at least three features of this main door interesting. I won’t go into the details out of respect for my Catholic readers, but if you would like to know what I am talking about, drop me a note.

Our final destination of the day was Hongik, a student-filled district because of the nearby Hongik University. After a relatively long train ride from Myeong-dong to Hongik, we immersed ourselves among hordes of students – both locals and foreigners. It was indeed a very vibrant “university town”, with fashionable students walking up and down the streets, plentiful of shops catering to the young crowd, impromptu student music group performances, youth parks complete with localised graffiti… you get the drift.

We had our dinner here at Whoppee (the Korean version of Pizza Hut, where I fall asleep waiting for my food – I was that tired!) before trawling the streets looking for nice places to drink. Found a basement jazz bar playing absolutely delicious classic jazz songs, with a Korean waitress who speak close-to-perfect English! After that, we spent almost an hour walking up and down the streets trying to look for another bar playing English songs, and finally settled for a second-floor place called Storm Bar.

By the end of the night, we were so beat (and me, a bit high from the endless rounds of Long Island Tea) that we took a cab back to Beewon and called it a night. I guess we all needed the rest!

Click here for the full set of photos we took for the day. My camera’s memory card somehow maxed out during our time at Gyeongbokgung, so for the rest of the day I was snapping away using Cheryl’s. Thanks, girl :)

We have arrived! Not really in style due to the insufferable long journey, and I had never been so glad to see another foreign airport in my life.

Incheon International Airport was a hassle-free and efficient airport. Less posh than Changi, but painless nonetheless unlike some other airports I can think of. A bubble of excitement starts to rise within me when I see Korean writing all over the place. I was indeed in Seoul!

Getting to the city of Seoul from the Incheon airport was kinda tricky. The Lonely Planet guidebook for Seoul was written back in 2005, when the metro system was yet to be connected to the airport, which was located on a separate island away from the mainland.

So feeling more and more like some clueless travelers in a metropolitan city, Cheryl and I managed to decipher the unhelpful Korean â€œcodeâ€ to know that to get to Jongno-san (3) Ga station, which was where our guesthouse was located at, we need to take the airport train run by A-Rex to Gimpo International Airport (despite the name, this airport now only serves domestic flights), and then to connect to Seoulâ€™s metro system Line 6.

To my surprise, the entire journey from the airport to Seoul city took more than 1.5 hours despite the efficient train system. It was also during this journey when we had our first â€œcultural shockâ€.

Koreans are undoubtedly very respectful of their elders. Whether thatâ€™s because theirs is an aging society (hence the high number of senior citizens in Seoul) or it was simply a Korean culture, everywhere you go youâ€™ll see the privileges bestowed upon the older Koreans.

Like in the train. At the end of each train cars, there will be six seats allocated by the elderly, pregnant women, and handicaps. But being the clueless Singaporeans we are, we thought it will be the same as Singapore train system. So we plonked our collective assess on these â€œreserved seatsâ€ and promptly fall asleep with our luggages and backpackâ€¦

â€¦ only to be rudely woken up by a Korean man, who jabbered at Shafik and I in Korean, pulling us up from the seats and pointed to the signs above us. Cheryl was totally terrified with the commotion, and tried to stand up. Another man joined the commotion, seemingly to tell off the first man for reprimanding us the clueless tourists. The first man relented and pushed Cheryl back into her seat, where another elderly woman who took my seat pulled her down as well.

It was not the Korean hospitality we were expecting, and the saying that the Koreans are a â€œrat-race population like any other metropolitan citizens, but a graceful one nonethelessâ€ will take on a whole new meaning of which I was going to discover in the next few days.

But next time you are in Seoul, remember to stay clear of these seats, unless you are over 65.

Beewon Guesthouse was my accommodation of choice for various reasons. I was eager to experience again the fun of meeting with other backpackers, it was highly recommended by Lonely Planet as â€œthe best of cheap sleep in Seoulâ€, and it was located within Insadong, the small districts filled with ancient palaces and cultural tea shops.

This new budget option is located in an orange-tiled building down the street behind the GS gas station, opposite Changdeok Palace. It sets new standard combining motel-styled rooms, with guesthouse style communal facilities. The owner keeps it clean and works hard to please her guests. Rooms have air-cond, satellite television and video, fridge, hair dryer, towels, soap and toiletries. Breakfast Internet, and the washing machine are free and discounts are given for longer stays. The kitchen is large and the lobby has greenery and a mini chandelier.

We booked for a room for three, and it was a basic one. A double bed (which of course I have gracefully granted Shafik and Cheryl the honour) and a (thin) mattress on the heated floor (they are heated throughout the day). An attached basic bathroom with bath tub. And thatâ€™s about it! Just enough for us to feel comfortable but not enough to make us reluctant to leave the room to taste whatever Seoul has to offer.

The only complaint that I had was that there were some construction going on during our stay, and apparently work was being done in the room directly above ours. Hearing drilling and knocking and sawing first thing in the morning wasnâ€™t my idea of a wake up call, but we preserved, and I have to thank Cheryl and Shafik for putting up with these for me. They are more used to staying in hotel but gamely agreed to try this out at my insistence.

In the end, we didnâ€™t get to know anyone else since we were out of the guesthouse most of the time. Soâ€¦ it wouldnâ€™t have made any difference had we stayed in a motel instead, but, oh well! There is a first time for everything, hehe.

After a quick one-hour nap, we rose ourselves in search for our first Korean culinary experienceâ€¦ only to discover it was raining. Again! I had the worst luck with weather, just like my experience in Athens during Christmas and Boxing Day. But I was determined to head out, and so we didâ€¦ and in not time I was drenched. Not enough to be entirely wet, but enough to make me feeling sick and feverish.

Definitely not a good start for the holidays, but my high spirit proven too strong to be intimidated by some fever. (Plus Cheryl has packed some panadol which I took religiously for two days, hehe)

Soon we found a promising looking eatery serving Korean food, so we stepped inâ€¦ partly because we were famished, and we needed the shelter from incessant rain. To our (slight) horror, none of the wait staff speak English, and the menu was entirely in Korean. After some heavy hand signs and finger pointing, we agreed on a â€œset mealâ€ priced at W10,000 each, which seemed reasonable for me.

The first dish arrived in a big pot simmering on a hot stove, cooking some kind of fish meat with loads of vegetables in a spicy looking broth (I wasnâ€™t wrong).

And then the side dishes start to arrive. I counted not one, not two, not threeâ€¦ but seven side dishes altogether. Later on I realized that the Koreans always, always have side dishes to go with their main courses, including the mandatory kimchi and radishes.

For the price we are paying, there were sure many dishes, including a platter of raw fish of unknown origins but tasted absolutely heavenly to me, grilled saba fish much to Shafikâ€™s delight (since he did fancy most of the dishes served on the table), and many other varieties of Korean goodness. I was stuffed to the brim (ah, to hell with my diet, I am on holiday!), but Cheryl canâ€™t eat most of the vege, and Shafik needed more meat.

But first thing first. After lunch, we needed to start our proper visiting! And no one can argue the appropriateness of starting off a Korean tour by visiting one of the many palaces all over Seoul, especially in the Gwanghwamun area where we were based at.

Although their size and splendour have been greatly reduced by wars, fires and Japanese colonial policy, Seoulâ€™s royal palace compounds contain a variety of restored buildings that offer visitors glimpses of Koreaâ€™s fascinating feudal past. The palaces followed Confucian ideals of frugality and simplicity, which makes them unique, but donâ€™t expect the opulent grandeur of Western palaces.

Today the large palaces are deserted, but the maze of corridors, courtyards, buildings and gardens, used to be thronged with hundreds of government officials and scholars. Eunuchs and concubines, soldiers, servants and slaves, the grand formal buildings, the government businesses were carried out, contrast with the smaller, more informal living quarters, divided into male and female sections as dictated by Confucian principles. In the warmer months, free concerts and historical reenactments are held in the palaces, some of which are popular backdrops for wedding photos and videos.

And we had one literally at our doorstep. Surrounded by dense woodland are the impressive buildings of Jongmyo, which house the spirit tablets of the Joseon kings and queens and some of their most loyal government officials. Their spirits are believed to reside in a special hole bored into the wooden tablets.

Jongmyo was one of our few palace experiences in Seoul. While we appreciate its steep history, but after many rounds of reading on Korean history related to each building, the Korean names started to be interchangeable with each other, and the facts started to sound the same.

So instead of really immersing ourselves in the ancient tales of Seoul (comâ€™on, we are no history buff!), we took a great many photos instead. Here are some of the best photos I took at Jongmyo.

Here in Jongmyo we also shot Shafikâ€™s first (and only) MTV in Seoul. LOL. I dare not share it here in case he get mad at me. But we did the first of our many Vlog here as well.

Right after the shoot of this Vlog, we trekked our way back to Jongmyo’s entrance and soon was in hunt for… food! Shafik was hungry. Okay, that’s a given, he is always hungry. But Cheryl and I were kinda starving too. So when we saw pictures of food at this restaurant we just couldn’t resist.

We ordered so much meat-based dishes just to satisfy our cravings here! It was also at this little eatery at the corner of Insadong where I had my first Korean beer called “Hite”. Absolutely smooth, though a little bland, but fatal nonetheless.

After a couple hours of rest in the guesthouse, we set out for our first nightlife in Seoul! Our location of choice was none other than Itaewon, a foreigner-friendly spot dotted with countless bars and clubs – though you’ll need to be careful not to step into any of the sleazy ones if sleaze is not what you are looking for.

We had a whale of a time here, and towards the end of the night, one of us *wink* was mighty drunk and had to be escorted back. It did not help that the cab driver we got didn’t speak a word of English, and he dropped us at some obscure part of Insadong. Frustratedly I navigated our way back to Beewon, with loads of crazy antics along the journey home the way only drunk people could achieve. LOL.

All in all, a great night out and a great end to our first day in Seoul.

Click here for the full set of photos taken during my first day in Seoul.

The start of another journey â€“ this time to the most intriguing city in Asia (or so claimed the Lonely Planet guidebook), Seoul in South Korea. The idea of the trip was born a couple of months back as a 21st birthday present for Shafik. Now presenting the fabulous trio who will soon terrorise Seoul with their total random bout of nonsense and insatiable hunger for food and drinks.

Hereâ€™s the birthday boy, Shafik, whose birthday was actually last month but it was not until today that all three of our schedules were able to make it for the trip.

And hereâ€™s the lovely Cheryl, who had to go through a lot to be able to go for this trip. She totally deserves this holiday, and Shafik and I vowed to make it a happy one for all of us!

My airline of choice was Malaysian Airlines, over Singapore Airlines (which was too expensive) and Korean Airlines (which didnâ€™t give me the confidence for a good ride). Alas, my previous wonderful experience on MAS to Sydney did not extend to this trip. The plane was tired looking and the seats were donned in a lurid combination of colours. Worst of all, there were no inflight entertainment! A far cry from my experience on SQ during my winter trip.

In addition, the flight also took way too long. First of all we had to fly into KL for transit, which include a 3-hour wait at KLIA. Then enroute to Seoul we have to stop at Kota Kinabalu for an hour before moving on. It was an ironic experience for me to return to my birth town after leaving it almost 30 years agoâ€¦ and not being able to even set foot on the ground.

All in all we took about 12 hours for an otherwise 7-hour journey and it was definitely tiring. Remind me only to choose SQ next time!

How would a holiday be complete without the compulsory accompaniment novel? For this trip, I brought along the latest novel from Cecilia Ahern title â€œThe Giftâ€, which was totally engrossing ten pages into the tale. It was not until the end of my trip when I finally managed to finish the entire novelâ€¦ in a flood of tears. Ahern has the impeccable capability to weave a TV-like magical quality to her stories, and this was one of her best. Highly recommended!

Soâ€¦ we only arrived at Incheon International Airport in Seoul the next day, so the tale of our arrival will continue on Day 1 of my â€œThe Seoul of Koreaâ€ series!